paranormal – One Chapter

13 Months Haunted by Jimmy Juliano

4.5 stars Suspense

This one was creepy in a mysterious way. I don’t get creeped out too easily, but this one got a bit under my skin considering the way the entity(s) moved. Perhaps it’s because of the world that we now live in, the uncertainty of times that we now live in, and my own comprehension of the world of technology, but this was a great read for me.

Piper ends up becoming a library clerk, not the job that she wanted after college, but it pays the bills. She’s finally living out on her own, in the small town of Northwoods and like everyone says, small town living has its disadvantages. She is hosting a student Halloween writing contest at the library and the entries have started to trickle in. Receiving one from Avery, Piper is immediately drawn to it. Why? Could it be because Avery’s mother accompanies Avery to school each day and stays inside each of the classrooms with her throughout the day. Could it be that Avery is a new student and the only surviving members of her family include her mother and Avery, the rest of her family has died. Their death? That’s the gossip that is running throughout the community. Could it be that the title of Avery’s entry, The Thing in the Closet and after reading it, Piper isn’t sure if the story is nonfiction or fiction. I liked how Piper was intrigued with Avery’s writing and wanted to know more about her. Trying to decipher whether her story was reality or fantasy, Piper wants to see what all the gossip is about and who Avery is. That’s when the pieces of the puzzle start to come together.

Could this really be technology driven? Seriously? Avery claims she doesn’t remember but it was her. When Avery starts to “feel” something yet no one else “feels” anything, is she acting or is this real? No one can see anything including Avery so where is this coming from? Avery’s head? I had to think about the future, could this happen? I mean we never thought about Covid hitting and sweeping through the country. Could this really happen and if so, how can we gain control of the situation? The Who, what and where were flowing through my head as Piper tries to understand the situation and its connection to Avery. Was it deliberate? What’s the purpose and why Avery? The ending, I really enjoyed. 4.5 stars

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

4 stars Thriller

There were parts about this book that I really enjoyed as I thought they were very unique. I thought this story had great potential. I loved how the story was being shared and the energy that the story was taking on but as the intensity started to build, I found myself doubting the scenes that were playing out before me.

The formatting of this story must be mentioned because I feel that this plays a big role in this story. The story is told through the eyes of eight-year-old Bela who lives with her Mommy and Daddo. This being the case, the story is made up of mostly short choppy sentences and the placement of these sentences on the page varies. It takes a bit to get used to this type of reading but once you do, I feel it adds to the intensity and the implications of what is happening in the story.

Bela has an imaginary friend at home, Other Mommy. Other Mommy comes out of Bela’s closet, only when Mommy and Daddo leave the room. Seems harmless until Other Mommy starts talking to Bela about entering her heart. Confined to her room, Bela knows Other Mother’s wants now and Bela knows how to control her friend. Other Mother is not about to let Bela’s get away though; she wants her. Bela goes with her mother to the park one day and while out on that outing, Other Mommy leaves the bedroom. Other Mother is spotted by Bela, at the park. Bela though, is not the only person who sees her. Other Mommy, this once imaginary friend of Bela’s, is no longer Bela’s imaginary friend.

Questioned by her parents, Bela describes Other Mommy as, “tall, sometimes slides on her belly.” Yeah, that creeped me out a bit. What kind of imaginary friend named Other Mommy would “slide on her belly?” I can’t even describe the image that came across my head when I read that. If Other Mommy is not imaginary, what was she? With these intense moments, the anticipation of turning the page was fantastic. I wanted to know more about Other Mother, yet I wanted more storyline and the chaos that she was creating for this family. The ending was a disappointment for me. Why did the author have to end it like that? After everything that had occurred, it seemed like such an easy solution to an outstanding event.

The September House by Carissa Orlando

I’ve been waiting for this one. I didn’t know that The September House was going to take me on an incredible ride that would have me sitting on the edge of my seat. As I read the first couple pages, Carissa began explaining where my new fictional friends were setting up house, I knew that I had found the menacing book that I had been looking for. Surprising enough, Margaret and Hal had that same exact feeling when their eyes fell upon the listing for the 5-bedroom home on Hawthorn Street. They had finally found what they had been looking for! With their daughter off to college, the couple had finally stumbled upon their dream house, a permanent place that they could call their own and they weren’t going to let it slip away.

Their dream is not all roses as they soon discover that the house comes with a dark past. This older home has seen a few deaths within its quarters, yet this knowledge doesn’t stop the couple from pursuing their dreams.

Margaret and Hal love their new home and start to adjust to their new life. They even get the services of the previous housekeeper, Fredricka, to help them in their beautiful new home. It sounded as if the couple had finally fulfilled their dream until the mysterious events started to shake things up. It began in the master bedroom as a liquid began flowing out of the walls. You can just imagine their reaction as the blood oozes down their master bedroom walls. My reading interest spiked immediately as this new wrinkle came out of nowhere and now, I must know why and who is responsible. I loved the imaginary as the river of blood streamed down the bedroom walls, flowed into the hallway and poured itself down the staircase, until it rested on the first floor. Ah, what a sight! The house fills with screams and sounds of children running around as the days pass and Margaret and Hal try to make sense of what is happening to their dream house. Such a stressful time for Hal and Margaret. Hal can’t take any more of what the house is giving, and he wants them to walk away, leaving the house behind them. Margaret loves the house, and she refuses to leave. Hal is forced to move out by himself, telling his wife and the house, good-bye. Katherine, their daughter, comes to visit. She’s concerned that she hasn’t heard from her father and decides to search for him herself.

Meanwhile at the house, these strange happenings are intensifying, and the occurrences are becoming more frequent. Edie, their neighbor starts to give me the creeps as I’m not sure whether he’s a friendly neighbor or part of the strangeness that is taking place. Katherine attempts to get the house blessed and it would be too easy for that to work, but at least they tried. Katherine behavior started to bother me. I couldn’t get a good read on her which added to the drama of this book. The ending was fantastic, yet I was sad that I had read the last page. Oh, I can’t forget the birds! What a great touch to add those to the story. This was a great story with an intense, building storyline with interesting and entertaining relationships, add in some mystery, tension, and you have one exciting read. 5 stars

Old Country by Matt Query

5 stars Mystery

This was crazy good! What an interesting concept of a story. I could feel the adrenaline and fervor in the characters and I loved how the tension built. You just never know where life will lead you but you should try to do some research before packing your bags.

Harry was an Afghanistan marine who received an early discharge. Back on American soil, he continues to fight his own battles. Harry enrolls in college and he meets his future wife, Sasha. Finding a secluded piece of land, the couple decides that this will be their new start in life. Sasha stands beside her husband as he deals with the effects of the war as the couple tries to get used to their new surroundings, isolated from most everyone.

Where I live, we have four seasons so when their neighbor Dan explains to them about the change of seasons in the countryside, I was prepared. What I wasn’t prepared for, was when Dan talked about the spirit that lived in the valley with them. Was he serious? The more Dan talked about this spirit, the more I knew either he was either trying to scare the couple or Dan was totally serious about what was happening in their valley. According to Dan, each season, the spirit would take on a different form and there were specific rules that needed to be followed, to get rid of it. Dan had even written these directions down! Like me, Harry and Sasha pondered if Dan and his wife were people they could actually trust.

The couple start to enjoy their new private, isolated life together – learning to rely on each other (with having only one close neighbor), as they fall into a routine. As the seasons begin to change, what Dan and his wife warned the couple about, suddenly becomes a reality. The spirit makes his appearance, leaving Harry and Sasha wondering, “did we really just see that?” This is just the beginning. Hold on people as this book is just getting started!

I couldn’t stop thinking about this story after I put it down. As the seasons changed, the anticipation as what awaited this couple kept my heart pumping. Harry and his wife were just looking for some quiet time together. The Afghanistan War had already left its mark on Harry and now another battle is beginning, only this time Harry has his wife beside him.

This is one terrific book that will have you staying up late until you turn the final page! 5 stars

All Hallows by Christopher Golden

5 stars Thriller

Now, that was creepy good! I enjoyed the intensity of the two storylines as they slowly built-up steams and I loved the intensity that swelled within this book once the festivities began. I fell back in time as I read this book, back to the day when everyone living on your block was on a first name basis and most neighborhoods were safe as help was just a few feet away. As one father and his daughter finished up preparations for their annual Halloween haunted woods, the rest of the neighborhood is getting ready for the annual Halloween block party. Candy is stocked at the door for the trick-or-treaters and it seems like everyone has their night planned out, so they won’t miss a thing.

Enthusiasm and excitement filled the air as this was a big night. The haunted woods grew more extravagant every year and they were eager to see what awaited them this year. The block party was a time for the neighborhood to come together and enjoy each other’s company, or at least that’s what this party had been in the past. As the children start the night with their trick-or-treating, they encounter some costumed children they don’t recognize. Could it just be the costumes that throw off who these individuals are or are these children not from around there? It’s when these children start asking the neighborhood children for help that warning flags when off in my head.

Sorry folks, your fun evening with your neighbors just got interesting. What a thrilling read! I loved so much about this book – 5 stars

Hide by Kiersten White

4 stars YA

Just thinking about spending a night at amusement park go me excited. Thinking about spending a week in that same environment well, that sounds like a great challenge. The contestants cannot be caught so how would you hide? Would be constantly move around or find one place and stay as long as you possibly can? Do you form an alliance with other contestants or do you go solo? I know my senses would be on high alert for anything and everything and as I started reading this book, I felt tense. Some of these contestants needed the money desperately and I felt some of the characters were shady and wondered how they were playing this game. There were a lot of contestants to keep track of at the beginning but as I read, I started to care less about some of them. I thought it was a fun book, a book that kept me on thinking what I would do if I was there. 4 stars

Malice House by Megan Shepherd

5 stars Thriller

Never saw that one coming! I was expecting some exciting chapters in this book but dang, I actually had to pause a few times so I could enjoy the little twists that were provided. It’d been two years since Haven had visited Malice House and she thought, she knew what she was walking into. Her father’s dementia explained the demon that was living within the walls of the house. Being a famous writer, a member of the local Ink Drinkers, the monster’s detailed description was fitting but what Haven didn’t know, was that her father’s illness didn’t explain what was actually going on inside Malice House.

Haven’s inheritance had dwindled down to Malice House by the time of her father’s death and now, standing outside the mansion, she surveyed her surroundings. Discovering one of her father’s manuscripts hidden inside the house, Haven sees the opportunity to make some cash yet she feels she might be missing something, if she doesn’t add a piece of herself to the manuscript. This sounds like a great plan but as the story progressed, I began to think that perhaps Haven should have just hammered a For Sale sign in the front lawn, packed up a U-Haul and walked away.

“Oh, my!” “No, it can’t be!!” “What is she doing?!?!” “a Monster” “collars, dog tags and a fire pit – and she’s combing through it – work faster!!” “Is this a curse”

These are just a few of the notes I made as I read. You can tell it was pretty intense at times and of course, I couldn’t stop reading until I got my questions, answered. There were too many thoughts running through my head, too many directions this story could have gone. Haven wanted to sell her father’s manuscript, for she needed the money but as an illustrator, she wanted to add her own personal touch to her father’s stories. This could be a great father-daughter duo until she saw their reaction. She took their response hard and her reaction was dramatic and emotional. Unfortunately, Haven had set the wheels in motion and there was no going back now. Tick, tick, tick ……time is moving fast and Haven needed to put all the pieces of this puzzle together. What a fun, engaging story. 5 stars

The Weight of Blood by Tiffany Jackson

5 stars YA Thriller

The emotions still resided inside of me after all these years as I read this book. I remember watching Stephen King’s movie, Carrie as a teen and this movie was quite emotional for me. While others were fixated on King’s horror in the movie, I was irritated at the individuals on the screen. Carrie wasn’t evil, she wasn’t the one everyone needed to watch out for, no! If they were looking for horror, they needed to look at what was happening to Carrie. What these individuals were doing was disgusting and shocking. Carrie was the victim. In The Weight of Blood, Tiffany does a fantastic job recreating King’s original while adding her own twists.

The first question we need to ask is why does one individual feel that they need to bully someone else? A comment or action is bad enough but bullying is not warranted when someone does it relentlessly and constantly. If another individual doesn’t follow your standards, your views, or your beliefs, do you have the right to harass that individual until they crumble? What does this accomplish? When is enough, enough? As a child, I was bullied and I know firsthand the emotions attached to this action. An individual bullied reacts more out of fear than respect and what might happen when your back is turned?

I really enjoyed this book as Maddie tries to navigate her way around school. Maddie tries to elude her true identity. Acting invisible, I yearned to know exactly what Maddie was hiding. As Maddie’s class headed outside to run laps for gym, Maddie questioned the gym teacher but here they were, outside on the track. She knew as the rain fell down that her secret would be discovered. The taunting from her peers started immediately and she fights back. How can she survive now, her life is forever changed. A great emotional read and another fantastic book by Tiffany. 5 stars

There’s a Ghost in This House by Oliver Jeffers

Oliver does it again! I never know what to expect from Oliver but this time, he really knocked it out of the park. I loved this book! There is a ghost in this house, actually there are a lot of ghosts!!

One page one, we’re invited inside the central hall of a house that was built in 1760l. With a yellow and gray striped dress on, she’s there to welcome us. We’ll just try to ignore that she has green hair and her skin matches her hair. She wants our help. She’s heard about a ghost in the house and she can’t find it. She’s not quite sure what she’s looking for but she’s already looked, can we help her?

Turning the pages of the book, we search different parts of the house. I love how this book is put together! As you open up the book and have two-page spread in front of you, one page will have the text to read and one page will have the illustration. The illustration features a specific part of the house in shades of brown and white. Using minimal words, this text carries the same mysterious elements with it as the house. In the center, of most (but not all) of these two pages is a sheet or two of hard plastic transparent paper. How you read this book, is up to you, for I read it a variety of ways.

This is the clever, entertaining book!! Oliver did an outstanding job constructing his book as these sheets added so much to this story. Such talent and exceptional craftsmanship is illustrated with this gem of a book! . 10 stars!!

Moth by Amber McBride

“That day there was only enough prayer & blood for one of us to walk out.”

Moth was the lone survivor that day and the causalities included her brother and both of her parents. Since that traumatic day, Moth has lived with her Aunt Jack, pondering whether she should change her name, since there’s no one left who cares. Why was she left behind? I hated to hear that Moth gave up her love of dancing since the accident. Struggling to achieve her success, she was now just throwing it all away. Moth had no friends at school either. Attending a mostly white school, Moth found that the few black students that do attend, don’t include her in their conversations; they’re just like her previous school. It’s not like she’s trying either. She’s just existing, living on the memories that she can recall.

Sani took the seat beside her on the school bus, this seat that no one has ever sat in. Who would have thought it all began on a school bus? Sani is having family issues and he’s popping these mysterious pills, that he’s reluctant to discuss. Being of Navajo descent, Moth feels a connection to Sani through her Hoodoo. With their relaxed conversations, they come to realize that they’re both just surviving. They’re both just there. Sani offers a solution, a way out. A place where they can breathe. Sani asks Moth to run away with him.

I felt at first, when Sani asked Moth to run away with him, that he wasn’t serious. I thought he was just throwing something out there for them to dream about as they were both frustrated but when she responded, he jumped on it. This was an opportunity! This was going to happen! He obviously had been thinking about this.

What a trip this turns out to be for both of them. I enjoyed their journey and the places that they went. I liked that the trip was about connecting and discovery and not a love connection between the two of them. I loved the way the story was written in verse as the words weren’t forced nor did they feel cheesy. I enjoyed how the characters and story came together and the ending was impressive as I didn’t see that one coming. I can’t wait to see what else this author writes.

The sky & the rain baptize our bodies- sinless & free.”

“Sani (looking sad): Do the ancestors ever answer?

Me (Moth): They sent me you.”